The importance of extended-STIRPAT in responding to the environmental footprint: Inclusion of environmental technologies and environmental taxation

This research dives deep into the interplay between environmental technology, environmental taxes, and renewable energy consumption, emphasizing their collective influence on ecological footprints within the East Asian context. The scrutiny period extends from 1999 to 2019, encompassing five pivotal nations: Japan, North Korea, South Korea, Mongolia, and China. At the heart of this study lies the choice of environmental technology as a core variable, driven by its potential to be a game-changer in sustainable development trajectories. Our findings bring a salient negative correlation between environmental technology and ecological footprints, underscoring its transformative role in reducing environmental impacts. In contrast, environmental taxes and renewable energy consumption seemed to tread lightly, casting a more subdued shadow on ecological footprints. Meanwhile, urban population dynamics and economic surges were found to magnify ecological repercussions. These insights spotlight the profound role of technological innovations in environmental stewardship and suggest a recalibration of policy emphasis in the East Asian sphere. This research ultimately offers invaluable perspectives for stakeholders, urging them to harness the promise of environmental technology while re-evaluating current policy tools.